what I’m supposed to pack in his bag. I ask him, but he just gives me a toothy grin as he eats his eggs and toast. After strapping him into the back seat of my car, I drive into the office.
Holding his hand, I walk into the lobby of the building and toward the back, where I know the childcare center is.
“Mr. Astor?” a woman’s voice calls out.
Stopping, I turn to look over at the receptionist. I don’t think I’ve ever really noticed her before. She’s a pretty little blonde, her blue eyes wide as her gaze shifts from Holden to me.
“I’m Bethie,” she announces chirpily. “Is Tenny okay?”
Flicking my gaze down to Holden, I hold my palm up. “Stay there, I’ll be right back.”
I hear her suck in a breath, then she nods. After I drop Holden off at childcare, thankful that Tennessee put me on the approved list last week. I give him a hug, tell him I’ll see him soon, then make my way back to the little blonde. I recognize her name as someone that Tennessee goes to lunch with often and speaks about here and there.
“You’re friends with Tennessee.”
It’s a statement, not a question, and she licks her lips as she nods her head slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. I would find the exchange funny, if I wasn’t so worried about Tennessee.
“You can have the day off, call in a temp if you go, and stay with her today.”
“Is she okay?” Bethie asks.
I jerk my chin and clear my throat. “I have meetings today that I can’t cancel. If I could, believe me, I would. She needs a friend.”
Sliding a piece of notepaper that’s on the counter in front of me, I take my pen out of my pocket and write down our address.
“She needs a friend, Bethie. I’ll be by at lunch, bring you girls something to eat.”
Turning away from her, I head toward the elevator banks. Laurent is standing and waiting for a car. He’s still angry with me, and I don’t blame him, if I didn’t know what was going on and he did what I’ve done, I would be angry too.
“You’ll be at the penthouse for dinner Wednesday?” I ask.
He clears his throat, his gaze shifting to the side, but he doesn’t actually turn his head. “I’ll be there.”
“It’s important.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s actually going on?” he snaps before turning his head to face me. “Because I don’t believe for a fucking second that you just handed over Astor Investment’s to Mother.”
Clearing my throat, I shake my head. “My office, now.”
The elevator car opens and I step inside, Laurent following along with the half a dozen people who were standing around us. As the elevator climbs, I become angrier and angrier that Laurent would say what he did aloud and in open forum.
Once we’re on my floor, I step out and march past Julie and toward my office. Before I slam the door behind my asshole of a child, I turn my head to look over my shoulder at Julie who is setting her desk up for the morning.
“Tennessee will not be in today.”
Without allowing her response, I slam the door behind me. Walking toward the front of my desk, I lean against the edge, crossing my arms and look down my nose at my son.
“You have a lot of fucking nerve saying that in front of employees. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I growl.
Laurent lifts his chin, looking up at me, his smug smirk firmly in place and I haven’t wanted to slap it off of his face this bad since he was sixteen years old and acting like a spoiled assed little shit.
“I didn’t realize it was a big secret. So, you’re just going to let Mother take over and not tell anyone until the last second?”
Lifting my hand, I wrap my fingers around the back of my neck and squeeze as I try to relieve the pressure and temptation of beating the shit out of my son. Inhaling a deep breath, I let it out with a sigh.
“You’re an asshole, Laurent,” I announce. “Do you honestly think that I have no plan? That I am just going to hand over your legacy to someone who hasn’t even managed a household staff competently?”
“Dad?” he breathes.
Shaking my head, I close my eyes in an attempt to keep my cool, then I reopen them and focus on my son. “You think that I’ve lost my